EU Introduces New Maximum Residue Levels For Pesticides And Low-Risk Substances

The European Commission adopted Regulation (EU) 2024/2612 on 7 October 2024, changing Annexes II, III and IV of the EU pesticide-residue framework, Regulation 396/2005. It was published on 8 October and entered into force on 28 October 2024.

Substance And Product-Specific Changes

The regulation addressed clopyralid in honey and other apiculture products, difenoconazole in wheat and rye, and flonicamid in specified vegetables. It set the difenoconazole level for wheat and rye at 0.1 mg/kg.

The recitals record a qualification in EFSA's difenoconazole assessment: overall chronic exposure remained provisional pending confirmatory information on stereoisomers. The Commission nevertheless accepted the proposed wheat and rye level on the assessment described in recital 5.

Annex IV Additions

Chitosan, fat distillation residues, hydrolysed proteins and lavandulyl senecioate were added to Annex IV. The regulation states that their conditions of use were not expected to produce residues posing a consumer risk, so maximum residue levels were not required for those substances.

Editorial update, 20 October 2026. This report describes the 2024 amendment. It is not a consolidated schedule of the limits currently applicable to every substance and food product.